I love credit cards so much! v4.0 - 2021 (see first page for add'l details)

[*WDW*Groupie*]

I called for a retention offer on my biz platinum and got offered a $300.00 statement credit. I took it as I'll use the 2 x $100.00 Dell credits and may make use of the 35% MRs back when booking a flight (if I can get Hilton to extend my FNCs to December 31st so I can use them in Maui in the fall)

 

[wanderlust7]

Does anyone know how VRBO codes for CSR, for CapOne Venture?hoping it codes as travel on both but not sure.

I think it depends on the property, but professional services is more likely. I had it code travel before, but my more recent one did not. This was on the CSR, but I think Capital One would be the same.

The listing for the VRBO we booked has been removed, so feeling a little iffy about it. Hope it's just temporary. But if we end up going, I think I'll try SM and see if Chase will give courtesy points.

 

[happ]

I've seen a couple of references to buying GCs from a grocery store on CSR and using Pay Yourself Back, resulting in a better return than Target. Can someone run through the math?

To calculate this you simply divide the Dollar Amount of the transaction you wish to PYB on by 0.015 for CSR or 0.0125 for CSP.

A $1,000 charge thus is:
CSP = 80,000 URs
CSR = 66,666 URs

Also - you can see how much more lucrative PYB is with a CSR in hand. IF you don't have one and plan to use this a lot - you might want to PC a card to a CSR.

If you purchased a $100 Disney GC at Target with your Red card, you would pay $95.
If you purchased it at a grocery store with a CSP card, you could PYB and the cost would be 8,000 URs ($80).
If you purchased it at a grocery store with a CSR card, you could PYB and the cost would be 6,666 URs ($66.67).

 

[afan]

Yes I did $50 even at BB.

Ouch on HD. I’m still not sure what to do with that one with it’s stupid $50 minimum charge, but I have until June so I’ve back burnered that for now.

I thought I'd be ok with BB from dps I'd read. And hd it says 50 or more in purchases so I was ok ordering 3 things in one. But I need them to finish the order so it all posts. The toilet seat my mom wants will take care of the other 50 if it ever comes back in stock so I can order it. Used their email thing for when it does so we'll see. I told her of it's not in by May we have to do something else.

I'll do the other BB once this one credits and my next statement hits. I much prefer when it all takes care of itself and I dont have to pay then end up with a credit.

 

[Etonduf]

I don’t know if it’s a better rate of return than Target. So I can’t speak to that. Essentially it’s, do you want to cash in your URs for gift cards? A $500 gift card purchase can be completely erased with 33,333 URs. 1.5cpp with CSR. You’re also going to earn another 1500URs on that purchase because groceries are currently 3x points. In my mind I look at as I used my points to get a “free” $500 gift card. It really depends on how you value your points and how you would like to use them in the future. For me personally I’m cashing all of mine out while I can. Right now I’d rather have money in the bank

ETA: I’m just cashing out my regular groceries.It doesn’t have to be gift cards. Like I said I’ve saved several thousand dollars, I could simply use that money to buy Disney tickets etc.

This is how I feel too. For me, buying $500 through target cost me $475 out of pocket. Using PYB is no OOP.
But if I “cashed out” $475 UR to pay for the target purchase it would be at 1 p. Better rate of return going to the grocery store and using PYB.

(full disclosure - I did recently buy from target as well and used Discover cashback. In my mind that is still no OOP and reserved some URs).

If you purchased a $100 Disney GC at Target with your Red card, you would pay $95.
If you purchased it at a grocery store with a CSP card, you could PYB and the cost would be 8,000 URs ($80).
If you purchased it at a grocery store with a CSR card, you could PYB and the cost would be 6,666 URs ($66.67).

Thanks for these responses!

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

I just booked 7 nights at the Grand Wailea in late October / early November! Now I need to book flights that are 100% refundable, just in case I haven't had my vaccination by then. Room with 2 queen beds, so I can take my son or go solo. Off to book flights!

 

[snugglebug]

My Amex Gold is not showing the little meter for the airline credit, it also doesn't show my airline. It just says select an airline, etc. Do I need to message them about that? I plan to use it for EBCI, same as last year. My Plat looks fine.

 

[Albort]

My Amex Gold is not showing the little meter for the airline credit, it also doesn't show my airline. It just says select an airline, etc. Do I need to message them about that? I plan to use it for EBCI, same as last year. My Plat looks fine.

yeah, u should probably chat with them and make sure its updated with the airline you want. unless u are able to select an airline now?

 

[snugglebug]

yeah, u should probably chat with them and make sure its updated with the airline you want. unless u are able to select an airline now?

Nope, no option to select, that was my first thought. Just a link to learn more. I know it ends this year and I know I have the benefit since I have had the card prior to this year.

 

[thevalley]

Nope, no option to select, that was my first thought. Just a link to learn more. I know it ends this year and I know I have the benefit since I have had the card prior to this year.

i was told that only in the month of January you can do the drop down box and change the airline. I did a chat with amex and they changed mine immediately. i had to log out and then log back in and the new airline was there.

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

Anybody get a credit for cell phone or restaurants on the 'new' credits yet?

I see my cell phone posted, but my food hasn't....

So I took my DD17 on a mental health long weekend to the keys. Our flight back to Ohio is Tuesday. Looking at the forecast I’m thinking WHY. Why go back on Tuesday. Do I think she will have school at all next week? Maybe 1 day. Two at the most. What would you do? I decided to book flights for just in case scenarios. One for Wednesday and now one for Saturday morning. She’s begging me to take her up to Disney.

This was me on Thursday. I was almost crying knowing I was leaving FL to head back to 8" of snow and cold in MI.

Okay back to reading 35 more pages! Dang y'all were busy while I was gone, LOL

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

It’s also February vacation in MA, RI and VT.
We always have the whole week of President’s day off. And typically tons on New Englanders head to WDW then.

Mid-winter break in MI too. My kids had off M/T, I had off the whole week. I liked it when my old district used to take off the week AFTER President's week. That's how my DD got to go to Disney 3 years in a row, LOL. Low crowds and great deals....ahhhh, the good ol' days!

 

[ep1229]

Hyatt gurus - I need clarification! I finished up my Hyatt stay to get to 30 for Globalist today. I'd like to ultimately be at 50 nights to qualify for suite upgrades for a Hawaii trip in September 2022. Can I continue to earn those remaining 20 nights organically over the course of this year and then whenever I arrive at 50 I'll be eligible for the suite upgrade in 2022? I'm thinking yes, but want to be sure. If not, then I'm going to do another run this coming week through 2/28 to earn the double nights promo. My preference is to keep the points I've earned (vs using them for a run) and just acquire the extra nights over the remainder of this year which is totally doable and aligns with actual trips.

I would like to know this too and also how long the suite upgrades are good for.

 

[StephPlum]

Has anyone had their bonus Hyatt points post for # transactions? I haven't seen anything yet.

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

Amex: Statement Credit Offer w/ Hilton Points
I'm not sure if these are new or not, but I noticed yesterday while updating some things that there are some decent Hilton offers out there right now via support links (DISchurners Amex Thread):

Hilton Honors Card
Earn a $100 Statement Credit after your first purchase PLUS earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 in the first 3 month. (No AF)

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Earn a $150 Statement Credit after your first purchase PLUS earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in the first 3 months. ($95 AF)

Hilton Honors Business Card
Earn a $150 statement credit after your first purchase PLUS earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in the first 3 months. ($95 AF)

And the Hilton Aspire Card is offering a 150k bonus (no stmt credit though) for spending $4k - that's the $450 AF premium personal card.

These seem like some pretty attractive offers. I'm looking at that business card offer personally - pretty low MSR and my wife's stash of Hilton points is under 100k right now. As always - Amex "rules of thumb" apply - keep spending on your cards to keep them happy. Pay your annual fees and don't cancel cards too quickly!

Apologies if anybody already pointed these out or if I missed discussion on them!

Hmmm, I wonder if Amex is done hating me. I've had my eye on the free Hilton as it's the only one I've yet to hold, LOL. Is the "lifetime" on Amex 7 years from opening of account or close? My SPG Biz was my first "rewards" card I got back in 2006. I closed it with the merger. Just trying to plan out my Amex attack since they only allow 4 now. Grrrrrr.

 

[FloridaNative8]

I just booked 7 nights at the Grand Wailea in late October / early November! Now I need to book flights that are 100% refundable, just in case I haven't had my vaccination by then. Room with 2 queen beds, so I can take my son or go solo. Off to book flights!

We are going to GW (and Maui!) for the first time in July. We are so excited

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

I may have cracked last week after shoveling too much snow. We are enjoying the warm sunshine and don’t want to go back. Bought tickets on Thursday for a Sunday morning flight. It wasn’t nonstop unfortunately and both flights were 100% full. That has been only time I haven’t been comfortable the whole trip. We already got an email saying our flight home will be full too. I was only able to get this (The Confidante Hyatt) on points Monday - Thursday so we did a HP near Miami airport first night. Highly do not recommend that one. Lol. We are heading to Hyatt Centric FLL in a bit and will fly out of FLL on Saturday. I think I’m going to do a mini 2 night run in Pittsburgh on way home to bring us to 30 nights. Also we got Hyatt brands #5 and #6 this trip! So a completely free trip that will earn 2 more free nights!

OMG, I think I stayed at that same HP a few years ago. It smelled so musty and the room/hotel were so run down. We got there late and had an early flight out so I didn't mind. But yeah....it was crappy!

Only 18 more pages to read! UGH

 

[KPK02090]

I did it! Upgraded a Freedom to a CSR. I feel good about it. After much analysis it really made the most sense.
Just a DP about how the customer service reps don't always know what they are talking about - I knew the travel credit could be used for groceries, but I still felt like I wanted to confirm that. The rep told me "no, it can't," he was "pretty sure" it was only for travel. I told him it said on the website that it could be used for groceries and gas until June 30 and I just wanted to confirm that applied when product changing. So he transferred me, to the sapphire department - only he didn't. Next person also didn't know. Transfer again to Sapphire Checking - wrong. Then finally to someone who seemed to know what she was talking about and confirmed that "yes, even with a product change it did cover gas and groceries." yay!

Next question for her was can I start using my Freedom as a Sapphire Reserve before the actual card arrives. I was pretty sure this was the case from what people here have said, but when she said the number would be the same, but the exp date and security code would change, I wanted to double check. She said "no, you have to wait for the actual card to arrive. If you use the Freedom it will still act as a Freedom." I said, what about online in the portal, will it be a CSR immediately? Again she said "No, not until you receive the physical card." I then asked could they expedite the card. She said "Unfortunately, no she can't. It'll arrive in 3-5 business days." I said "ok, fine, I would still like to product change."

I hang up, log into my chase account. And sure enough it's already a Sapphire Reserve. I can already do Pay Yourself Back at 1.5 for charges that were on my Freedom and I can book through the portal at the CSR rate.
I'll also be surprised if it takes 3-5 days to arrive.

It's so annoying how they can give such erroneous information. Luckily I have all of you to give me the knowledge I need going into this!

 

[gottalovepluto]

My Amex Gold is not showing the little meter for the airline credit, it also doesn't show my airline. It just says select an airline, etc. Do I need to message them about that? I plan to use it for EBCI, same as last year. My Plat looks fine.

My Amex Gold doesn't show the meter or the airline either. I chatted with them to check my airline was what I thought it was the other day and they looked it up for me. I wrote it off to Amex hoping people who have the credit forget to use it. Did you notice how far down they buried it on the benefit page? Annoying. I missed it the first time I looked for it since it doesn't have the meter anymore.

 

[Alexle2007]

I did it! Upgraded a Freedom to a CSR. I feel good about it. After much analysis it really made the most sense.
Just a DP about how the customer service reps don't always know what they are talking about - I knew the travel credit could be used for groceries, but I still felt like I wanted to confirm that. The rep told me "no, it can't," he was "pretty sure" it was only for travel. I told him it said on the website that it could be used for groceries and gas until June 30 and I just wanted to confirm that applied when product changing. So he transferred me, to the sapphire department - only he didn't. Next person also didn't know. Transfer again to Sapphire Checking - wrong. Then finally to someone who seemed to know what she was talking about and confirmed that "yes, even with a product change it did cover gas and groceries." yay!

Next question for her was can I start using my Freedom as a Sapphire Reserve before the actual card arrives. I was pretty sure this was the case from what people here have said, but when she said the number would be the same, but the exp date and security code would change, I wanted to double check. She said "no, you have to wait for the actual card to arrive. If you use the Freedom it will still act as a Freedom." I said, what about online in the portal, will it be a CSR immediately? Again she said "No, not until you receive the physical card." I then asked could they expedite the card. She said "Unfortunately, no she can't. It'll arrive in 3-5 business days." I said "ok, fine, I would still like to product change."

I hang up, log into my chase account. And sure enough it's already a Sapphire Reserve. I can already do Pay Yourself Back at 1.5 for charges that were on my Freedom and I can book through the portal at the CSR rate.
I'll also be surprised if it takes 3-5 days to arrive.

It's so annoying how they can give such erroneous information. Luckily I have all of you to give me the knowledge I need going into this!

Congrats! That is definitely incorrect! Have fun using your new CSR today!